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CORDELE — Elsie Sims Rhodes, 94, of Cordele died Sunday night, Sept. 27, 2020, at Blackshear Villa. Services were held at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 in the chapel of Hughes & Wright Funeral Home. Rev. Royce Freeman officiated the service. Burial followed at Sunnyside Cemetery with Rev. Max Rodgers assisting Rev. Royce Freeman.

Marcene Freeman, pianist, played for the service. She also accompanied Rev. Freeman and herself as they sang “The Lighthouse” and “Will the Circle be Unbroken?” Pallbearers were: Joyle Rhodes, Shannon Rhodes, Trey McWhorther, Jackson Burnette, Preston Burnette and BoDee McWhorter.

Mrs. Rhodes was born in Cordele, Ga. to Lillie Belle Hudson Sims and Robert Leon Sims, Sr. She is the widow of Johnnie Reuben Rhodes, Jr. She is also preceded in death by her  granddaughter: Rhoda M. Sercer; her siblings: Erma Harvard, Edward Sims, William Sims, Cortez Sims and Jack Sims; and her son-in-law: John McWhorter.

She was a member of Northern Heights Baptist Church. She participated in many aspects of the church as long as her health permitted. She was a member of the Ruth Sunday School Class, the W.M.U., the choir and assisted with the church fair booth for many years. She was also a member of the DAV Auxiliary and the American Legion Auxiliary.  She volunteered with the Red Cross, the Sam Short Line and for 28 years with the Crisp Regional Auxiliary (Pink Ladies). She was also known to be ready to hit the road for any type of adventure and fun and as a collector of lighthouses. She was a retired seamstress for the Bill Rae Manufacturing Company.

She is survived by her children: Johnnie (Glenda) Rhodes III and Ernie (Sandy) Rhodes Sr. all of Cordele and Jackie McWhorter of Rochelle; her grandchildren: Kathy (Mike) Burnette, Joyle (Kim) Rhodes, Shannon (Ashley Marie) Rhodes and Trey McWhorter; her great-grandchildren: Andrea (Jonathon), Olivia, Jackson, Carson, Katie, Preston, BoDee, Ashley and Macey; and her great-great-grandchildren: Lane, Harrison, Cooper and Ashton.

For those desiring to make memorial contributions, the family suggests making them to Northern Heights Baptist Church, P.O. Box 5080, Cordele, GA 31010 or Reflections Hospice, 202 East Fourth Ave., Cordele, GA 31015.

Online condolences may be left at www.hughesandwright.com. Hughes & Wright Funeral Home, Inc. was entrusted with these arrangements.